Actuating mechanism for station-indicators or the like.



0. E. KELLUM & T. P. WILSON.

AOTUATING MEGHANISM FOB STATION INDIOATORS'OR THE LIKE.

APPLIOA'I'IbH rnim'nx. 31, mo.

992,735. I J Patented May 16, 1911 THE NORRIS PsrlRs co, wAsHmamN, n. c,

\ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORLANDO E. KELLUM AND THATCHER 1?. WILSON, OF LOS' ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO NATIONAL STREET AND STATION INDICATOR COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR STATION-INDICATORS OR THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ORLANDO E. KEL- LUM and THATCHER P. WILSON, citizens of the United States,,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Actuating Mechanisms for Station-Indicators or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to a method and means of actuating indicators on cars and other public conveyances which travel over a track.

Heretofore station indicators on cars have either been actuated mechanically or by the closure of an electric circuit'entirely within the car, the primary action for closing the electric circuit being mechanical. In a large number of cases this mechanical action is supplied by a lug or other relatively stationary member on the track, the lug forcing a portion of the switch closing mechanism upwardly or rearwardly when it comes in contact therewith. The disadvantage of this system lies in the fact that any object other than the lug, such as a boulder or piece of material dropped on or near the tracks, will cause the. mechanical movement which closes the indicator circuit as well as the lug itself. Thus the indicator is operated at times when it should remain stationary and its usefulness entirely destroyed.

The object of this invention is to provide a means whereby accidental operation of the indicator is rendered practically impossible. This is accomplished by passing the actuated electric current through the lug itself. The chances that any article accidentally in the path of the contact on the car is electrically connected in a manner similar to the connection of the lug is very remote. Thus the indicator will not be operated by any such articles in the path of the contact, being only operated at the proper intervals so that it always accurately indicates the station to which the car is next proceeding.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional diagrammatic view showing our invention and embodying a stationary lug. Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the track and of the lug, shown in Fi 1. Fig. 3

is a similar plan view of a modi ed form of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 31, 1910.

Patented May 16, 1911'.

Serial No. 540,977.

lug. Fig. 1 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the lug apparatus shown in Fig. 3. Fg. 5 is an enlarged end elevation of the lug shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a similar elevation of a modified form of stationary lugs. Fig. 7 is a view showing another modified form of the same.

In the drawings 5 designates the rails of atrack supported on cross ties 6. In the form illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 a lug 7 is attached to the rail in any suitable manner, as by rivets 8. This lug is shaped as is shown in Fig. 5 and carries upon its upper end' an elongated contact portion 9 with beveled upper surface 10. On the car truck at any convenient position is mounted a downwardly depending member 11 carrying a preferably spring contact on its lower end. This spring contact is connected by wire 13 to one side of solenoid 1 1, or magnet 14 as the case may be, of indicator, or any other similar device, 15. This indicator or other device may be of any desired construction, the only essential feature being that it shall be of such a nature that it can be actuated by an electric impulse. It is usual in such indicators to transform the electrical energy into mechanical motion before being applied to the ultimate movement of the indicator; but it makes no difference how much intervening mechanism there is between the electrical portion of the mechanism and the ultimate mechanical movement which exhibits the name or designations of the st-a-' tion or performs any other mechanical op- The other side of the solenoid 14 is connected to source of electrical energy 16, the other side of the source being connected by conductor 17 to rails through the truck and wheels of the car 5.

In electrically operated lines the source of energy may be either a battery or generator carried on the car or may be, so far as the indicator is concerned, the trolley wire and ground return of the trolley system, or corresponding conductors of any system. In non-electrically operated lines source 16 may be a storage battery, a generator, or the like, on the car itself, conductor 17 leading down through the wheels to the track. In any case the circuit is closed throughout except between lug 7 and contact 12. It will be closed at this point when the contact passes over the lug, the current passing through the lug, as it prevents any accidental operation of the indicator.

In Figs. 3 and 1 we have shown a modified form of lug particularly for use on city streets. In this case the lug 9 does not project above the level of the rail or of the street, the lug being vertically movable by the car wheels at the instant contact 12 is above it. Lug 9 is mounted in a box 20 so that it may move vertically, its lower end being connected to a lever 21 pivoted at 22 to a clamp frame 23 mounted on the underside of rail 5. The other end of lever 21 is pivoted at 24 to a link 25 in turn pivoted to a wheel flange engaging member 26 at one end thereof. This wheel flange engaging member is supported pivotally as at its other end as at 27 and lies against the inside of the rail where it is struck and pushed downwardly by the wheel flange. The placement of the different parts of this device and the relative proportions thereof are such that when the wheel flange strikes member 26, lug 9 is forced up beneath contact 12 high enough to engage therewith. Immediately upon the passing of the car, member 26 and lug 9 both resume their normal position.

In Fig. 6 we have shown a modified form of lug which is not directly attached to the rail and which may be placed at any desired distance therefrom. It is connected to the rail by a conductor 30 and is mounted upon a cross tie 6 or any other convenient support.

In Fig. 7 we have shown two forms of the same nature in that they are both designed to set close to the rail. one shown on the outside of the rail, on the left in Fig. 7, it can lie tightly against the rail; but in the case of the other one there In the case of the must be sufficient room left to allow the pas sage of the wheel flange.

In any of the cases illustrated the lug may be on the inside or the outside of the rail. In Fig. 1 it is illustrated on the inside, in Fig. 3, on the outside, and in Figs. 6 and 7 either on the inside or outside. In some cases one placement will be better than the other, but this will not affect our invention.

Having claim 1. In combination with a rail over which a wheel is adapted to pass, a wheel engaging member arranged alongside the rail and pivotally mounted at one end in connection therewith, a clamp secured to the lower edge of the rail, a lever pivoted on the clamp beneath the rail, connection between the free end of the wheel engaging member and one end of the lever, and a movable contact member connected to the other end of the lever.

2. In combination with a rail over which a wheel is adapted to pass, a wheel engaging member arranged alongside the rail and pivotally mounted at one end in connection therewith, a clamp secured to the lower edge of the rail, a lever pivoted on the clamp beneath the rail, the lever extending from one side to the other of the rail, connection be tween the free end of the wheel engaging member and one end of the lever, and a movable contact member mounted on the opposite side of the rail from the wheel engaging member and connected to the other end of the lever.

In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 22nd day of January, 1910.

ORLANDO E. KELLUM. THATCI-IER P. WILSON.

described our invention, we

WVitnesses:

JAMES T. BARKELEVV, ELwooD H. BARKELEW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0. 

